Hecate Shaw
The Green Machine
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Posted - 2008.04.02 15:59:00 -
[1]
 Originally by: Aldus Zero
First, no way are there 200,000+ individual people playing this game. Whatever the number is, itÆs far less than that (personally I think 25,000 and dropping is about right). Nice that CCP can claim 200K accounts and the resultant income, but their motivation û and ours û is that the game continues. If we donÆt attract a constant stream of new players who stay, this isnÆt going to happen. I don't mean talking existing players into buying their 3rd or 4th account either.
Please, give some logical reasoning why you think the number of players is really falling in the face of an expanding number of accounts. I really doubt that 25,000 people own 8+ accounts each to keep the apparent population increasing. More likely, the player base is growing very slowly, and seems faster due to older players adding accounts and new players getting 2 or 3 accounts each.
Originally by: Aldus Zero
And we arenÆt drawing new players. Most of the noob areas are empty barring alts.
Having recently spent some time starting a new alt (I know, I'm evil), I fear I have to disagree. Actually talk to people in the NPC corp, and you'll find that while there are a good number of alts, there is a steady stream of new players, as well. Most don't make it, but then EVE isn't easy, and would lose a lot of appeal if it were to become so.
Originally by: Aldus Zero
As to 0.0, IÆm sure there was a time when one could strike out on their own and start a new POS, and perhaps build a base for themselves, but that time is long gone. Make a POS on your own now (or with your new group of 20 buddies or so), and it takes about a week before one of the mega-alliances drops by and makes you an offer you canÆt refuse û and then youÆre theirs. DonÆt get me wrong û IÆm not bashing alliances here. But I do want to paint an accurate picture and nowadays, I think this is it.
If you want to paint an accurate picture, talk to someone who actually plays out there, or better yet go try it yourself. I think if you try to set up shop in the middle of BoB space, you're right. If you try around the fringe...well, rent might come into play, but I don't think they'd try to absorb you.
Originally by: Aldus Zero
As to a new player joining a 0.0 corp and/or Alliance, the truth is if youÆre new, youÆre cannon fodder. One writer mentioned that the corps typically will give you a T1 ship to get killed in so it wont cost you anything, but spending 3-6 hours every time you log in, pressed into a gang to take on BoB, Goons or whoever, then getting re-killed yet again -- just isnÆt fun.
Training for a Blackbird takes a few days, and then a few weeks to a month to get to T2 and decent base skills...and they are FEARED. Or train for one of the other ewar or support T1 cruisers, and you'll still be more than cannon fodder until you can train up weapons and defensive skills.
Originally by: Aldus Zero
So I think itÆs true. The new player is confronted with one of two choices: make a living in Empire (if you can avoid the new gank-the-noobs-in-Empire trends) until you get your half a year or more in, or get press-ganged into 0.0.
Demonstrably false.
Originally by: Aldus Zero
I think the answer is a path we arenÆt going to take. IÆd like to see an Empire where new players can grow, stay interested, and eventually move outward when they want to.
You assume the game must be linear, which is false. There are those who go to the depths of 0.0 inside their first month, and don't even see Empire until/unless they make a market alt.
Originally by: Aldus Zero
IÆd like to see LowSec not be a death trap, either in perception or reality. And itÆd surely be nice if 0.0 was a place you actually could move to without joining in the 100-years war thatÆs already been going on for so long youÆll only ever be a spear carrier in someone elseÆs conflict.
Ah...the war in 0.0 is kind of the point of it being there...
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